The connection line.

[RevZ62]

The rollercoaster of life, the daily ups and downs that test faith and when you pass the test you grow.
People talk of being closer to God, I can't get any closer but my faith can strengthen,
Matt, 8, Mark 4, Luke 8
O ye of little faith
Why is it you have no faith
How is it you have no faith.

What is the core of your belief? How do you connect with God/Jesus/Holy Ghost, faith is the connection line.

[Hezekiah Ben Israel]

We don't have beliefs, we have the truth. Our beliefs can be proven by the Bible, and not by tradition.

[RevZ62]

The Greek word pistis is belief or faith as used in the NT.
Biblical "truth" is not provable, that is why it is called faith.
The evidence of things not SEEN, the substance of things hoped for...faith.
I do agree that tradition is bogus as it changes every so often to be replaced by a new tradition.

[Hezekiah Ben Israel]

Why do you teach if it is not provable?

[RevZ62]

Proof is the tool of faithless fools. The Secular world always seeks proof.. Scientific evidence lacking there is then disbelief.
Faith is faith because it does not require proof only FAITH!

[James Pierce]

Hez,

You might want to re-read Luke 1. It never says that the Holy Spirit spoke to them. The scripture said that it was Gabriel. He was there speaking with them. Gabriel is not an arch-angel, and he is not the Holy Spirit as you claim.

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

Thats what your friend believes James. He says that Gabriel is the Holy Spirit!

I do not agree with you on one point however: Gabriel is regarded as an Arch-Angel according to the writings of the Book of Enoch and other Church historians.

[James Pierce]

Trevor,

Gabriel is an arch-angel in Enoch? Why not the cannonical scripture regard him as one?

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

1) The Canonized scriptures don't "disregard" him as an Archangel, he just never presents himself verbally as one. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."

2) Just because the book of Enoch is not regarded as Canon within Western Christianity, doesn't mean that its not Scripture. They deny the book of Enoch, but not the teaching or prophetic words from the book. Go figure..........

I'll tell you that we as Western Christians don't have it all together. We are wrong in some areas, whether we know it or not, whether we admit it or not, whether we even care or not.

[newview]

"...I'll tell you that we as Western Christians don't have it all together. We are wrong in some areas, whether we know it or not, whether we admit it or not, whether we even care or not..."

I partly agree with this.
I am of the mind that we in Christendom dont have it all together and we wont - not until the Jews come back.
I think in some cases we have thrown the baby out with the bath water and when the 'natural' becomes the 'spiritual' there will be a treasure trove of mysteries and understandings revealed.
I love sitting down and discussing scriptures with Jews that are believers in Jesus.
It is a beautiful thing. Speaking to them is like having layers and layers of a oninon peeled away on numerous biblical topics.
And when they explain how some of their traditions were 'revealed' to them ONCE THEY BECAME BELIEVERS - its over the top...its BANANAS.
During Passover they do all of these things and this and a that and it means one thing to them....and yet when they understood who Jesus was - many of the things they were doing at the Passover Meal reveals who Jesus is and it tells of His burial and resurrection. I will find it and share it. Its lovely.

[Chaplain Pat Harris]

Newview,

I agree with your experience in studying with Messianic Jews. I recently joined a Messianic Jewish home Bible Study group just for the purpose of learning about their culture and traditions from the Jewish perspective.

Starting in January, I will be attending a weekly class at one of the local synagogues to learn how to read and write in Hebrew. This will definitely be huge challenge for me but nevertheless, I am excited about it.

Not worry, I will not be coming back claiming to be Jewish or Israelite. :-)

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

OK, good statement. Now, what part of this do you not agree with?

[RevZ62]

This started as a investigation, a self-investigation, into faith and how it connects us to God.

Now it is led in to unprofitable areas about things that have nothing to do with the main topic.

This is not meant to be a theological inspection but a spiritual introspection.

Now everyone is trying to out proof the other guy. It is a fruitless and foolish exercise in nowhereness (my word).

What connects you to God/Jesus/Holy Spirit.

There is one non-Christian who say he follows the Torah. Why are you wasting time with his nonsense. That is the work of the evil one who is using all of you to take your focus off Jesus.
How many angels dance on the head of pin? That search is as fruitless as all the other wasted verbiage. I really wish all of you would get back on point and stop being sidetracked.